Learning to Shoot Time Lapse

Getting to work as a Fine Art Landscape Photographer in San Antonio, I am often out and about the city with my camera. Usually I am actively engaging with my camera while shooting. However, working on a time-lapse assignment, there were 20 to 30 minute blocks of time where the intervalometer was handling everything. I got some interesting looks sitting next to a camera on a tripod just reading. But what else was I to do? At least I had time to read. And I got to spend some quality time with Dodger enjoying the nice fall weather.

The Time-Lapse Reality

When I set out to do this assignment I really did not internalize how long it takes to capture the images for a time-lapse video. Nor did I realize that would also translate into long processing times. It took way longer when rendering the images at home on my personal computer than I am used to. But when each “scene” has 500 to 1,000+ individual images, it is a lot of data to crunch. And I actually filled my 64GB SD card in my camera for the first time.

The Beauty of Time-Lapse

I have always loved the effect you get with good time-lapse video. I love watching sunrises and sunsets in time-lapse. And moonrises! So amazing when done well (I will need a bigger telephoto lens before I can really attempt any moon shots). And then there are the videos of clouds and storms dramatically rolling across the sky. I find those especially breathtaking. This is my first attempt, so I am not expecting it to be as “cool” as most of what I have seen. But I am excited to learn the technique and see what I can do with it in the future.

What are some of your favorite time-lapse videos? Do you have a favorite subject for time-lapse? I look forward to y’all’s thoughts and ideas!